ACTs 17:23 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT For passing through and observing your objects of worship, I even found an altar on which had been inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’ What therefore you worship not knowing, this I announce to you.

UST I say that because, while I was walking through your city, I saw the things that you worship, I even saw an altar on which someone had carved these words: THIS HONORS A GOD WHOM WE DO NOT KNOW. So now let me tell you about that God whom you worship but whom you do not know.

BSB For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:
¶ TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.
§ Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.

BLB For passing through and beholding your objects of worship, I even found an altar on which had been inscribed: To an unknown God. Therefore whom you worship not knowing, Him I proclaim to you.

AICNT For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

OEB For as I was going about, looking at your sacred shrines, I came upon an altar with this inscription – “To an Unknown God.” What, therefore, you worship in ignorance, that I am now proclaiming to you.

WEBBE For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, I announce to you.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it, this I proclaim to you.

LSV for passing through and contemplating your objects of worship, I also found an altar on which had been inscribed: To God—unknown; whom, therefore—not knowing—you worship, this One I announce to you.

FBV As I was walking along, looking at your shrines, I found an altar that had the inscription, ‘To an Unknown God.’ This unknown God whom you worship is the one I'm describing to you.

TCNT For as I was going around and closely observing yoʋr objects of worship, I even found an altar that had been inscribed: ‘To an unknown god.’ I proclaim to you therefore [fn]the one whom you worship in ignorance.

17:23 the one whom 89.4% ¦ what CT 1.5%

T4T I say that because, while I was walking along and observing the objects that represent different gods that you worship, I even saw an altar that had these words that someone had carved on it: THIS HONORS THE GOD THAT WE(exc) DO NOT KNOW. So now I will tell you about that God whom you worship but you do not know.

LEB For as I[fn] was passing through and observing carefully your objects of worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed, ‘To an unknown God.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it,[fn] this I proclaim to you—

17:23 *Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was passing through”) which is understood as temporal

17:23 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

BBE For when I came by, I was looking at the things to which you give worship, and I saw an altar with this writing on it, TO THE GOD OF WHOM THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE. Now, what you, without knowledge, give worship to, I make clear to you.

Moff No Moff ACTs book available

Wymth For as I passed along and observed the things you worship, I found also an altar bearing the inscription, `TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' "The Being, therefore, whom you, without knowing Him, revere, Him I now proclaim to you.

ASV For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you.

DRA For passing by, and seeing your idols, I found an altar also, on which was written: To the unknown God. What therefore you worship, without knowing it, that I preach to you:

YLT for passing through and contemplating your objects of worship, I found also an erection on which had been inscribed: To God — unknown; whom, therefore — not knowing — ye do worship, this One I announce to you.

Drby for, passing through and beholding your shrines, I found also an altar on which was inscribed, To the unknown [fn]God. Whom therefore ye reverence, not knowing [him], him I announce to you.

17.23 Elohim

RV For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this set I forth unto you.

Wbstr For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I to you.

KJB-1769 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
(For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye/you_all ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. )

KJB-1611 [fn]For as I passed by, and beheld your deuotions, I found an Altar with this inscription, TO THE VNKNOWEN GOD. Whom therefore yee ignorantly worship, him declare I vnto you.
(For as I passed by, and beheld your deuotions, I found an Altar with this inscription, TO THE VNKNOWEN GOD. Whom therefore ye/you_all ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.)

17:23 Or, gods that you worship, 2. Thess. 2. 4.

Bshps For as I passed by, and behelde the maner howe ye worship your gods, I founde an aulter, wherin was written, vnto the vnknowe god. Whom ye then ignorauntly worship, him shewe I vnto you.
(For as I passed by, and beheld the manner how ye/you_all worship your gods, I found an altar, wherin was written, unto the unknowe god. Whom ye/you_all then ignorauntly worship, him show I unto you.)

Gnva For as I passed by, and behelde your deuotions, I founde an altar wherein was written, VNTO THE VNKNOWEN GOD. Whom ye then ignorantly worship, him shewe I vnto you.
(For as I passed by, and beheld your deuotions, I found an altar wherein was written, VNTO THE VNKNOWEN GOD. Whom ye/you_all then ignorantly worship, him show I unto you. )

Cvdl I haue gone thorow, & sene youre gods seruyce, and founde an altare, where vpo was wrytten: To the vnknowne God. Now shewe I vnto you ye same, whom ye worshippe ignorauntly.
(I have gone through, and seen your(pl) gods seruyce, and found an altar, where upo was written: To the unknown God. Now show I unto you ye/you_all same, whom ye/you_all worshippe ignorauntly.)

TNT For as I passed by and behelde the maner how ye worship youre goddes I founde an aultre wher in was written: vnto the vnknowen god. Whom ye then ignorantly worship him shewe I vnto you.
(For as I passed by and beheld the manner how ye/you_all worship your(pl) gods I found an aultre wher in was written: unto the unknown god. Whom ye/you_all then ignorantly worship him show I unto you. )

Wycl For Y passide, and siy youre maumetis, and foond an auter, in which was writun, To the vnknowun God. Therfor which thing ye vnknowynge worschipen, this thing Y schew to you.
(For I passed, and saw your(pl) maumetis, and found an altar, in which was written, To the unknown God. Therefore which thing ye/you_all unknowing worschipen, this thing I schew to you.)

Luth Ich bin herdurchgegangen und habe gesehen eure Gottesdienste und fand einen Altar, darauf war geschrieben: Dem unbekannten GOtt. Nun verkündige ich euch denselbigen, dem ihr unwissend Gottesdienst tut.
(I am herdurchgegangen and have seen your God’sdienste and found a Altar, on_it what/which written: Dem unbekannten God. Now verkündige I you denselbigen, to_him you/their/her unwissend God’sdienst tut.)

ClVg Præteriens enim, et videns simulacra vestra, inveni et aram in qua scriptum erat: Ignoto Deo. Quod ergo ignorantes colitis, hoc ego annuntio vobis.
(Præteriens because, and videns simulacra vestra, inveni and aram in which scriptum was: Ignoto Deo. That therefore ignorantes colitis, this I annuntio vobis. )

UGNT διερχόμενος γὰρ καὶ ἀναθεωρῶν τὰ σεβάσματα ὑμῶν, εὗρον καὶ βωμὸν ἐν ᾧ ἐπεγέγραπτο, ἀγνώστῳ Θεῷ. ὃ οὖν ἀγνοοῦντες εὐσεβεῖτε, τοῦτο ἐγὼ καταγγέλλω ὑμῖν.
(dierⱪomenos gar kai anatheōrōn ta sebasmata humōn, heuron kai bōmon en hō epegegrapto, agnōstōi Theōi. ho oun agnoountes eusebeite, touto egō katangellō humin.)

SBL-GNT διερχόμενος γὰρ καὶ ἀναθεωρῶν τὰ σεβάσματα ὑμῶν εὗρον καὶ βωμὸν ἐν ᾧ ἐπεγέγραπτο· Ἀγνώστῳ θεῷ. ⸀ὃ οὖν ἀγνοοῦντες εὐσεβεῖτε, ⸀τοῦτο ἐγὼ καταγγέλλω ὑμῖν.
(dierⱪomenos gar kai anatheōrōn ta sebasmata humōn heuron kai bōmon en hō epegegrapto; Agnōstōi theōi. ⸀ho oun agnoountes eusebeite, ⸀touto egō katangellō humin.)

TC-GNT Διερχόμενος γὰρ καὶ ἀναθεωρῶν τὰ σεβάσματα ὑμῶν, εὗρον καὶ βωμὸν ἐν ᾧ ἐπεγέγραπτο, Ἀγνώστῳ Θεῷ. [fn]Ὃν οὖν ἀγνοοῦντες εὐσεβεῖτε, τοῦτον ἐγὼ καταγγέλλω ὑμῖν.
(Dierⱪomenos gar kai anatheōrōn ta sebasmata humōn, heuron kai bōmon en hō epegegrapto, Agnōstōi Theōi. Hon oun agnoountes eusebeite, touton egō katangellō humin. )

17:23 ον … τουτον 89.4% ¦ ο … τουτο CT 1.5%

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

The Unknown God

When Paul spoke to the Areopagus, the “high council of the city” of Athens (Acts 17:19), he was speaking to people who did not share his faith in the God of Abraham and Moses who had revealed himself “many times and in many ways to [his] ancestors through the prophets” (Heb 1:1). The members of his audience had a very different definition of the divine. A host of divinities inhabited their world, and the common people retained much of their belief in the ancient gods. But many of the cultural elite of Athens no longer believed in the gods in any literal sense. Instead, they held to either a form of materialism (the physical is everything) or pantheism (the divine inhabits everything).

What they all shared in common was the absence of the idea that there is one true God who is Lord of all. Their myths told of the activities of various gods, but they did not have faith that the ultimate reality, God himself, could be known. Instead, they reasoned and discussed “the latest ideas,” hoping for a better understanding of the nature of things.

There were a wide variety of philosophical ideas current in Athens when Paul visited, but two main schools of thought dominated, Stoicism and Epicureanism (Acts 17:18).

Zeno of Citium (334~262 BC) founded Stoicism. Stoics studied nature’s laws and believed in the Logos, a pervasive organizing and sustaining force that gives all things their essential nature and so gives life and reason to humanity. The good life is one in which reason rules, and peace of mind and harmony with nature prevail. Many prominent statesmen were Stoics or influenced by Stoicism, including Cicero, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. Stoic ideas proved attractive to some Christians because of the similarities between the Stoic logos and the divine Logos (John 1:1-18), and between the idea of natural law and the law of God.

Those who followed Epicurus (341–270 BC) were empiricists; they relied upon sense experience (as opposed to reason) for knowledge. Epicureans were concerned with natural evidence and were unenthusiastic about mathematics. Their focus was ethics, the study of right behavior; they judged the value of an action or thing in terms of the pleasure or pain it brought. Epicurus saw belief in gods (meddling and powerful beings who terrified ordinary mortals) as a serious threat to tranquility. For him and his followers, neither the gods nor death (which is the end) should be feared.

When Paul spoke in that context, he used their own poets to proclaim things that they could barely comprehend: That the God who made everything is both personal and knowable; that he revealed himself clearly, historically, and definitively in Jesus Christ; that death is not followed by either the cessation of existence or the migration of the soul, but by judgment; and that the proof of all of this is the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

What was foolishness to most of the Greeks of Athens turns out to be the ultimate truth: God is knowable, and can be known through Jesus Christ.

Passages for Further Study

Ps 50:7-15; Isa 42:5-7; Acts 17:16-32; Rom 1:18-32; Col 1:15-23; 2:6-12; 1 Thes 1:9-10; Heb 1:1-4

Parallel ACTs 17:23